I was so proud of my husband when he suggested the other day that we start composting. It’s great when your significant other is on-board with “going green!” There are many benefits to composting, namely that it helps the environment, we eliminate up to 40% of our trash, it turns our waste into something useful, it’s the best fertilizer available, and it’s FREE!We have a sweet little garden in our backyard, but due to our dry, arid climate our parched soil doesn’t make for ideal growing conditions. Producing our own rich compost should really make a huge difference. I started researching a variety of composters because I am anxious to order one. There is a mess of information to go through, and many pros and cons for each style. We just have to decide what we are willing to put up with.
First, there is the bin style that looks like an upside down garbage can. We live in the foothills, and I can only imagine what kind of furry creatures would be attracted to our composter. The bin style also takes the most time to produce compost, possibly up to a year. You have to continually stir it, but the biggest downside is that you can’t keep adding scraps. Once you have a batch of compost going, you have to start a second batch. Many people end up buying two bins to accomplish this goal. In my opinion, it’s too much to deal with, plus I'm afraid that I might find critters enjoying a picnic in my backyard every day.
The second style of composter is the tumbler. This is a great choice since I am a little concerned about varmints running around. The unit sits above ground and is fully enclosed. You spin or crank depending on the model, and it locks in heat and moisture so you can produce compost in 6-12 weeks. There is also a fancier version available that has a dual-drum so you can continually add new material to it. You put your waste in the outer drum, and the finished compost flows into the inner drum. The biggest complaint I’ve read about the tumbler design is sometimes it can be hard to crank depending on where your compost has settled. There have also been design flaws where problems have ensued with the axis, which may not allow for proper spinning.
Third, there is the worm variety. You put your material in a unit filled with worms. You don’t have to deal with your compost at all because the worms happily do the work for you. Even though my mother was a 7th grade Biology teacher, and I was once used to playing with all kinds of slimy, scaly, furry creatures, I just can’t stomach the thought of having worms. I would be too grossed out.
Finally, there is the electric composter. This is my favorite, of course, because it is no-nonsense. Yes, I realize it’s the least “green” of the lot, but it only uses 10 watts of power, about as much as a night light. It costs on average about 50 cents per month, and is a lot less than the diesel-fueled trucks that would be hauling it off to the dump. The great thing about this style is weather is not an issue! Since heat is a necessary part of the composting process, you can’t produce compost in the wintertime. The electric composter can be placed indoors or out, and works regardless of cold or rain. They produce no odor, are fully automatic, new material can be added at any time, and you get finished compost in 2 weeks. Voila!
Regardless of what style we finally choose, it will be a joy to pick fresh, delicious vegetables from my garden, enjoy them at the dinner table, and send the scraps right back to the garden. What a beautiful thing.
